Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) will be celebrating Constitution Day through video conference.

Chief Justice of India, SA Bobde is the Chief Guest for the function while Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad is Guest of Honour.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: SCBA celebration commences. Acting Secretary Rohit Pandey welcoming the guests.

"We are proud as members of Bar to be stakeholders in judicial system which protects rights of people. Supreme Court has played a stellar role on the sentinels of democracy."

#ConstitutionDay2020: Function starts with National Anthem.

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SCBA Vice President Kailash Vasdev delivers welcome address.

Vasdev reads out Law Day charter.

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Constitution Day Charter:

"We hold law is a common heritage and trust of mankind . That administarion of justice is one of the fundamental functions of the state and judges and lawyes owe their allegeince to the cause and quest of justice"

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#ConstitutionDay2020: Our freedom was attained by the selfless efforts of our founding fathers who created a document which lauds the foundation of the nation respecting all castes, creeds and religions: Kailash Vasdev

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"Our Constitution has stood the test of times and has laid the foundations. We celebrate this moment with a sense of responsibility and humility. We celebrate this moment in times which are troubling and disturbing", Kailash Vasdev.

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"Our system has always risen to challenges and overcome them to arrive at just solutions," Vasdev concludes urging to move ahead 'as one nation one people'.

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Attorney General for India KK Venugopal now commences his Constitution Day Address at the SCBA function.

Venugopal speak about the pendency of cases which is weighing down judiciary.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: The National Judicial Data Grid website shows there are 3.61 crore cases are pending in courts across India: AG KK Venugopal.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: What is extremely sad is so far as 4.29 lakh cases are concerned, they have been pending over 30 years. So a person who files a case at 50 or 60 years cannot see the fruits of his efforts: KK Venugopal

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#ConstitutionDay2020: Justice delivery system cannot be one one where litigant cannot see the results of the case on which he has placed his aspirations and hopes: KK Venugopal.

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#ConstitutionDay: With Covid coming in, Supreme Court acted and extended limitation for filing cases. But I fear once Covid situation goes away, the pendency will become much higher: Venugopal.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: Law Commission in its report of 1987 had said if Indian courts have to clear its arrears there should be at least 50 judges per million.

Back then we had 10 per million and in 2018 we had 19 million: Venugopal points out.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: We should have 1.36 lakh judges instead of the 20,558 judges we have today of we go by Law Commission's report: KK Venugopal.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: Our judges have to work long hours due to this.

States should ensure that vacancies in subordinate courts are filled up and Central government should ensure that States act: Venugopal.

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#ConstitutionDay: The rich, powerful and corporates will not be affected by delay. They can stick out for 30 years. But individuals from middle class and poor, it is a daunting task to wait for 30 years. Their money and patience will be exhausted: KK Venugopal.

#ConstitutionDay2020: Isn't time that all of us Bar, judiciary, States and Central govt pulled up our socks so that we are able to mitigate this terrible vacuum which is existing in our country?

Else people would believe justice delivery system is slowly collapsing: Venugopal

#ConstitutionDay2020: Let us collectively ensure that this aspect of justice delivery is focused so that justice delivery system is able to wipe away every single tear from every eye: KK Venugopal.

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#ConstitutionDay2020:

KK Venugopal concludes.

SCBA President Dushyant Dave commences his address.

November 26,1949 is one of the historic days in the life of our nation and will continue so in the centuries to come: Dave

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#ConstitutionDay2020: Dave speaks about how Constitution as document to further social goals has helped surmount challenges.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: What we need today is a a paramount reverence for the forms of the Constitution: Dave

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#ConstitutionDay: Dave quotes Ambedkar on how democracy in India is only a top dressing of an Indian soil which is essentially undemocratic.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad commences his address.

A virtual celebration of Constitution Day is perhaps the first. Today digital interaction has become the norm: Ravi Shankar Prasad.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: I have to commend the judiciary during these times. The Supreme Court has heard and disposed of or is in the process of hearing close to 30,000 cases digitally: Prasad.

#ConstitutionDay2020: High Courts have heard 13.76 lakh cases digitally.

Districts courts have heard 35.93 lakh cases digitally: Ravi Shankar Prasad.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: India was partitioned on the grounds of religion. Close to 3 to 4 million were displaced and 1 million killed.

Despite such provocative atmosphere, our founding fathers decided that India will be a democracy: Prasad.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: There were people who thought India should be a theocracy like Pakistan but our founding fathers said "No India will be country where State will have no religion & people of all faiths will have freedom to practice their religion freely": Ravi Shankar Prasad

#ConstitutionDay: There were many challenges from caste, religion and language and then judiciary which came with judgments which the entire country accepted and a constructive way out was found: Prasad

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#ConstitutionDay2020: That is why courts, Supreme Court is important. It is not just a beacon of liberty but it is also an institution which people of India trust: Prasad

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#ConstitutionDay2020: We should therefore respect the judiciary. We can criticise judgments and why not. But abiding respect for institution of judiciary is important: Ravi Shankar Prasad.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: Ravi Shankar Prasad concludes.

CJI SA Bobde commences his speech.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: CJI Bobde speaks about how courts had to deal with the sudden change brought about by Covid-19 pandemic.

"The Corona virus hit the hardest blow to the court and it's staff," CJI Bobde.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: The virus spurred an inequality. It made access to justice dependent on access to technology. Those who did not have access to technology did not have access to justice: CJI SA Bobde.

#ConstitutionDay2020: To bridge such inequality, the Supreme Court identified places in districts and set up kiosks and mobile vans carrying wi do for lawyers and litigants who did not have video conference facilities: CJI Bobde.

#ConstitutionDay2020: There is much to be done but Supreme Court continues to be engaged in solving the problems of delivery justice and reversing the inequality that has crept in: CJI Bobde.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: CJI Bobde acknowledges the solid support received in this regard from SCBA and other High Court Bar Associations: CJI SA Bobde.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: It was very unfortunate to have visited districts in India to be told that for a large section which do not have access to technology, courts simply don't exist: CJI Bobde.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: For Bar especially seniors they can set up multiple computers and appear before different forums. But there are also those who have suffered due to lack of access to such facilties: CJI Bobde.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: CJI Bobde recounting instances where junior lawyers in many places had to take to odd jobs due to loss of cases due to Covid pandemic.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: CJI Bobde also acknowledges the cooperation of Union IT Ministry headed by @rsprasad for the help rendered to court during Covid.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: Framers of Constitution have struck a resilient balance between liberty and the conditions on which the State can deny it. The freedom of speech and restrictions on it are in the interest of reputation of individuals and institutions: CJI Bobde.

#ConstitutionDay2020: Nothing is conferred by the Constitution in absolute, untrammeled terms: CJI Bobde.

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#ConstitutionDay2020: Constitution not only survives major attacks and challenges but also remains true to its central mandates and values thereby maintaining its essence as the country travels through troubled waters: CJI SA Bobde.

#ConstitutionDay2020: Not just during pandemic, even otherwise judiciary has worked through conditions which are truly adverse. But it's commitment to improving access to justice has remained constant: CJI SA Bobde.
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#ConstitutionDay2020: The Executive has admirably responded to the plight of judges. The pay scale has drastically improved and district judges have now laptops and cars and security (if necessary): CJI SA Bobde.

#ConstitutionDay2020: On pendency, CJI Bobde says the best minds at bar and bench and at law commission have dealt with the problem but have not been able to really contain it.

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#ConstitutionDay: I think it is high time we resort to pre-litigation mediation which has the force of decree. It is something which I believe will work and is probably the only thing which can contain pendency especially the huge pendency which will arise post Covid: CJI Bobde.

#ConstitutionDay2020: Constitution not merely a document on paper but a synthesis of the ancient and modern wisdom of our country.

It is the embodiment of hopes and aspirations of our people, the benefactor to those in need and protector of our liberties: CJI Bobde concludes.

#ConstitutionDay2020: SCBA Joint Treasurer Shamshravish Rein delivers vote of thanks. Function draws to a close.